Missing Person
by me.love.to.read
Summary: Ezra is a best selling author, trying to deal with his life, which has been turned up side down a couple of times. Aria is another bump in his road, but maybe it will be for good this time and finally balance his life.
1. Chapter 1

**This story is about Aria and Ezra, but in a total different time, place etc. So Ezra was not Aria's highschool teacher, there is no A in this story and so on. Just using some characters in a different way, all coming from my brain. I'm not sure if it will be a very long story, but definately will try to put more words in the next chapter. I will try to update reguarly. If you read please review. That would mean a lot to me. Well having this said enjoy reading.**

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**CHAPTER 1**

I rushed inside the hospital. Flustered I asked the girl at the reception which way it was to the ER. I got a little angry as she didn't answer directly, but first wanted to know who it was I'm looking for. After repeating the question which way I had to go to the ER, where my dad was, and her again asking for a name, I see my dad walking towards me.

"Dad, are you okay?" I asked with a worried voice. "I was so worried, when a nurse called me you were in an accident and in the ER."

"I'm fine son" he answered in his same old raspy voice. I was starting to get a bit angry. My dad was fine. Why did I have to leave an important signing of my new published book? Damn he knew that was very important to me. More important than anything at the moment.

"Why did I need to come then? If you are fine, you can take a taxi home. You knew I have an important signing." The anger was clearly noticeable in my voice now.

"You have to come with me. We have to take care of her. It was my fault." My dad made no sense to me at all. I knew he was getting older, but was he now also getting crazy.

"I have no idea what you are talking about. Can we get this quick be over with?" I was getting impatient now. I didn't need a crazy father as well. A crazy mother was more than enough to deal with for me. I don't mean crazy like as in sick, but as in manipulating people, me.

"Really son it's important. I wouldn't have you phoned otherwise. I drove the car. Don't give me that look, I may be old, but I'm still perfectly capable of driving a car. I swear she came out of nowhere. She just lay there with her bike. When the paramedics arrived she didn't seem to remember anything so I came here with her. She's okay now. Well physical she's okay. It is all my fault she doesn't remember anything." It seemed my dad gave all the information in one breath of air. Still not everything made sense. The only thing what was clear, was that he hit a woman with his car and that she was now in the ER, but apparently fine.

"Come son we have to take her home." At the last part of his sentence I raised my eyebrows. Why the hell would we have to take her home. Maybe my dad was crazy after all. This signing gig was a failure already. It was no use fighting with dad over it. So I went along, now walking together with my dad to the ER. I hated the smell of the hospital. I decided this had to be over quick so I could back to work.

In the recovery room lay 8 people. As we walked in a doctor approached my dad. Looking around I tried to figure out which woman my dad rode of her bike. My attention was moved to the doctor who was now in front of me holding out his hand. He introduced himself as Dr. Kingsley.

"I'm glad to hear that you and your father will take responsibility of her. I'm happy to tell you Mr. Fitzgerald, that her injuries are not as bad as we expected. Her cat scan just came back and we see only a minor concussion. She may have the next couple of days a headache, but other than that, she should be fine. The cat scan also revealed she had an major head injury in the past. My guess is, that her memory loss is the result of that. Unfortunately we can't know for sure as we have no records of her. In the last couple of hours our psychologist has observed you and, well Ms. Doe, and in our opinion she feels comfortable with you. With her own admission we will let her go with you. However we did report her with the police, including your name and address. Whenever she will be searched as a missing person, the police will contact you. So for now if she might not be feeling well in the next couple of days, please do come to us again, but as far as we can see I don't see any problems. This hospital is grateful to a stranger helping another stranger out." I'm not sure if I understood all. This was a lot of information to digest. The good news was that the woman was okay, but for me the bad news was, that my dad wanted to take her in his house. She was a complete stranger. He said she came out of nowhere, maybe she faked it all. Call me superstitious, but naturally I don't trust strangers. People have to earn your trust.

My head was not completely at what just happened right there, but the doctor was already gone and my dad headed to the third bed on the left side. Slowly and wary I approached the bed. There lay a beautiful young woman, a face like white porcelain, shiny golden brown locks, looking at me with her big doe hazel eyes. He knew instantly why his dad had helped this fragile girl. His dad had a weakness for helping people, friend or stranger. This time it was a stranger, again.

"What did you do?" I still looked at the girl, but obvious my question was for my dad. She just looked at me with an expression of fear on her face. I looked at my dad now and repeated the question.

"I hit her with my car and she fell. Really dear I hadn't seen you, you came out of nowhere". He was calling her dear and she smiled comforting at him, as if she didn't mind him her driving her off her bike.

"I got that part now. The rest I'm trying to wrap my head around. So please do share dad." Getting frustrated by the whole situation I snapped the words at him.

"It's very simple, because of me she is here and now I'm helping as much as I can. I paid the hospital bill and we are going to take care of her as long as she needs. She can stay at my house. I could use the company as well." He smiled at her.

"You paid the hospital bill?" I didn't care she heard that I totally didn't agree with all of it. "Are you insane dad?" I know I sounded harsh, but sometimes my dad needed to be put into place. Except this time I just knew I would lose the fight.

Driving to my dad's house I was still angry. The girl, they introduced her to me as Jane, what apparently was very funny, sat next to me in the front. Glad to see they hadn't lost their humor. I mocked the whole drive, which took us more than an hour. Traffic in New York at this hour of the day was impossible. It always was, but now even more. I sighed which seemed like hundreds of times. From the corner of my eye I saw she watched me a couple of times, but merely she was just quiet and looking outside the window.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for reading this story and your reviews! It would be great if I get some more reviews on this chapter. It will just take you a minute, just let me know what you think of the story. **

**I changed the rating. In the future I might even change it to M, but I have to see if I think particular scenes are written well enough. Anyway I will let you know in a note before the chapter when it is rated M.**

**Enjoy reading this chapter and please leave a review.**

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**CHAPTER 2**

A little bit over an hour we were finally driving into Manhattan. Now only I had to drive a couple of blocks before we would arrive at the Trump Plaza where my father owned an apartment. All the way driving to here I have been thinking about the girl next to me and my dad. How did he get himself into this situation. Why did he help strangers, he knew nothing about her. Hell, she knew nothing about herself. Why had she been out on a bike? Why hadn't she carried her identity card with her? That would make things a lot easier. It would make all of this go away. Did this girl know my father? Did she know me? Did she know I'm rich and make advantage of that. Did she know about her head injury and faking everything? I had to keep an eye on her. Shit! I totally forgot I'm staying with my dad for the next couple of weeks because of my work. The promotion of my new book was first scheduled in New York, and as I lived in San Francisco I was staying at my dad's place. Just got here yesterday. Yet another sigh came from my mouth.

Finally we are here. I drive in the parking garage inside the building and stop the car. Jane looks up to me with her doe eyes "Are we here? This looks kind of fancy." She says, her voice laced with uncertainty.

"As you wouldn't know." By that answer she is just looking weird at me like she has no clue what I'm saying. "Get out. My dad should be here any minute with the cab he took." One of the perks of my sports car, it only seats two people, so one of us had to take a cab.

Finally after 10 minutes or so, where neither of us had said any word to each other, a cab came driving up on our parking spot, it stopped and my dad got out of the car. "What are you waiting for?" That question addressed to me makes me growl. He takes Jane by her arm and we walk to the elevators. On the 23rd floor we get out. When I had made enough money the first thing I did, was buy this apartment for dad, which was now 3 years ago. I was damn lucky that at the age of 28 I became a best-selling author. With the best-selling part came also a lot of money and unfortunately with that also a lot of people who wanted something of me, money in this case. Fast I had learned not to trust people, even my own mother. Thinking of her, I narrowed my eyes at the girl and questioned her intensions again.

As we walk to the front door I hear my dad talking to Jane. "It's a beautiful apartment. It's not too big. We are in the west wing which gives a great view on Central Park." Entering the front door, we have direct access to the living room, he first takes her jacket and hangs it in the closet near the entrance. As we walk in the living room I look very closely at the expressions on her face. Is she truly surprised with what she is seeing or is she just pretending? I let my dad give her a tour through the apartment as I walk to the liquor cabinet and pour myself a whiskey. I walk with my glass of whiskey to the windows and look over Manhattan. It was a gray day. Not only figurative speaking, but also literally. In a couple of days December would start. New York was already all Christmassy and the television guy forecasted it would be starting to snow next week. It looked like this year I would be here in New York with Christmas. I had avoided that for the last 3 years. It's not that I really hated Christmas time, but people hadn't made it fun for me as well. Three years ago, a few weeks before Christmas I had gotten my first paycheck. I had been thrilled, but also learned that Jackie had betrayed me with some no-good low life guy. She had thought I would never know, I would never find out. Well was she wrong. I always doubted that I got her pregnant, but had forgotten it soon after the foresight of my own little family, we enjoyed the pregnancy together. I hold the little boy as if he was my own, until this scumbag woke me up from what I thought would be my dream life. He was the father not me. I didn't want have to do anything with Jackie and her son. She just wanted to stay with me because of my money, not because she loved me. My mother had helped her, against my wishes, lying to me. That's when I decided I didn't want to spent Christmas in New York anymore. I stayed in San Francisco. There were always lonely women out there, especially in December, hook ups in this month were my favorite. I was never alone. This year would be different. I would spent Christmas here in New York with dad. Knowing him, it would not only be Christmas outside, but inside the apartment as well.

Dad got me back to reality as he told me to go shopping. As I look quizzically at him he explains "She doesn't have any spare clothes. There are a couple of shops on 3rd Avenue. Go and shop with her."

With a disgusted expression on my face I say "Why can't you go shop with her? She's your guest."

"I have an appointment in half an hour." I raze my eyebrows not believing what he is telling me. "You have an appointment in half an hour? What about me? I had a book signing, but you didn't seem to care you got me out of that. How can your appointment be more important than my book signing?" I ask in a raised voice.

"The pedicure is coming. It's difficult to get an appointment with a good pedicure nowadays. I have to make them months in advance." He says overly dramatic.

"The pedicure, right. The woman who is giving the pedicure is more what you need I guess." Dad just gives me a smirk, which tells me enough. The girl apparently didn't get it, which I can't blame her for.

"I can shop on my own." She said kind of guiltily. "How do you want to do that with no credit card? Or do you have one?" I snap at her. Her cheeks flush and her eyes speak of shame. She is a damn good actress I try to convince myself. I raise my hands in defeat. "Ok. I will take her to the shop."

As 3rd Avenue was just around the corner we could walk to there. On the way down in the elevator and the 5-minute walk to the shop I was too aware of her presence next to me. Did I trust her? No, not even for a little. Did I think she was one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen. Hell yes! I tried to look ahead of me, not paying attention to her. It seemed quite difficult for me. She looked a little better now than a couple of hours ago. The quick shower she had taken, did her good. It seemed she had a little more color on her cheeks. The clothes she wore were still from before the accident. They were dirty and broken. Within 15 minutes we had reached the shop. The female clerk in the shop gave her a look from top to bottom and I could see disgust in her eyes. I looked at the girl, who had seen it to, and she just looked away ashamed. Something protective came over me.

"Hello. We would like to buy a new wardrobe for this lady. Everything she likes you can put on my credit card." I knew I sounded cocky, while waving with my credit card. I knew the clerk would recognize me, as it was not the first time I had come here. The clerk was flustered and looked from me to the girl. "Yes, sir of course."

It was only 10 minutes later when the clerk came back with just a jeans, a sweater and a coat, looking very pleased with herself. "What is this? I said a new wardrobe, not only this!" Behind the clerk the girl appeared "It's ok. It's more than enough. I can wash. You are doing already more than enough for me." It sounded she wasn't pleased with me. Well who could blame her. I took the clerk by her arm and dragged her further inside the shop and looked through all the woman's clothes. I took out what I liked and gave it to the clerk. "Get the right size for her and we will buy this."

I turned to the girl. "Do you need something more? Did I forget something?" She looked away and mumbled something I couldn't hear. "Sorry, what do you say?" "I need a bra and panties." I swallowed and just looked at her for a moment. "Right. You go and find some. Take what you need. I'll be waiting at the cash desk."

Damn I didn't need to picture that. Although she was wearing loose clothes I was sure underneath it all, she had an amazing body, with curves all in the right places. It made my imagination racing and my libido started roaring. Snap out of it I spoke to myself. I looked around me if nobody was watching me. Just to be sure my thought would go in a different direction I sat down at the coffee corner in the shop. I took a magazine first in line. Travelling, that would keep my mind of off her. But as soon I saw the pictures of a bounty island, I knew I had to pick up another magazine. Cooking. No, also not a good idea. What else was here? Before I could take another magazine, my girl, shit not my girl, the girl, he really needed to get his mind of off her, she stood near the counter and looked in my direction. "I have everything I need."

I walked to the counter putting my face in the same grimace as she had seen all day. "Are you sure you have enough?"

"Yes, I'm sure I'll remember something soon, or someone will be looking for me." She said positively and hopeful. I just nodded. I hadn't given that much thought yet. She could be gone in a second. I noticed I was slightly disappointed, but I had no need to be, because I wanted her out of our lives as soon as possible.

Quietly we walked back to my dad's apartment. We passed another shop with dresses in the window. From the corner of my eye I saw her longingly looking at it. I stopped. "Come we'll go and buy a dress for you." "No, that's really not necessary." she said shyly. "I saw the look on your face. Come on we'll have a look." Where did that come from? Why did I say that to her? I don't need to buy a dress for her. Maybe dad wanted to come to my book event two days later. It was a sort of party from my publisher for my well-received new book. If she was coming she needed a dress, I justified the need of a dress. But maybe she was not even here anymore.

All in a sudden color faded from her face and quickly I took her by the shoulders. "Are you ok?"

"I feel all dizzy." She muttered. Keeping her from not falling I held on to her. Now I came to think of it, did she eat at all. It must have been a long day. At least I hadn't seen her eating and I hadn't asked. "Did you eat anything today?"

"I have really no idea. Since the accident I haven't eaten. I only had a little water." Slowly a little color came back on her cheeks. "I think I'm ok now." I still held on to her. I had to be sure she was ok. My dad would kill me if she wasn't ok, was the excuse I made for myself. "Can you walk home? It's just a few more minutes." Surprised I heard worry in my own voice.

She must have heard it to, as she searched me with her big hazel eyes comprehending if I was really worried as my voice gave away. "Yes." Was the only thing she said in a soft voice. Promptly I let her go and was my old self again.

"Come. I will order some food. Do you like pizza?" Precariously she looked up at me. "I don't know. I guess. Doesn't everybody like pizza?"

I told the doorman to order 3 pizza's at Tony's DiNapoli, where I always ordered. Only 15 minutes later we were all enjoying our pizza at the dining table. Or I at least thought so. Dad asked her all kind of questions. Just to tell him about the day, but I knew he hoped something would trigger her mind, so she would remember something.

She ate only one slice. "Are you not going to eat more? Free clothes. Free food. What more do you want." O yes I was back to my old charming self. Dad shot me an angry look. I had enough of this for today. "I'm going to my room. Enjoy yourselves." Angry I walked away, but not missing the hurt look on her face.


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